After the Aftermath
by Blackcat509
Summary: Because really that episode needed more. Tag to Awakening, 20x9 & 20x10. This is my first Silent witness fic. Please enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**I know it can't just be me that needed more of an ending for that episode. Please enjoy and thanks in advance for reading!**

The little energy she had left from breaking out of the box was just enough for her to stagger down to the shore, just enough for her to feel the coldness of the water soak through the cotton of her shoes before the world went hazy and the sand met her face as Nikki drifted back into unconsciousness.

She's cold when she wakes up and for a horrid moment she thinks she's dead, tucked away in one of the freezers at the Lyell waiting to go under Thomas' knife. Part of her is grateful for blessed cold after the heat of the box she was trapped in but then there's water rushing up her nose and in her mouth and ears, the strength of the surf forcing her hips to roll her over onto her back, the bright blue of the sky greeting her when she opens her eyes. Her lips taste of salt when she opens her mouth to breathe and the soft, wet sand is thick between her fingers as she tries to force herself to stand.

By the time the tears of relief have stopped flowing there's wet sand in her hair and her clothes have started to dry, leaving them stiff and sticky against her skin and at the back of her mind she can't help but wonder where the hell her shoes have gone. Behind her is the site where Ava's son was supposed to be working, the ancient burial site that they drove past when Ava was telling her all about his work, about how proud she was of him. It wasn't far from the compound and in her head she thinks she knows how to get back, back to Jack. Her eyes well up as she thinks back to the last conversation they shared, the devastated 'what have you done' echoing through her mind. Knowing how self-destructive he can be she suddenly panics, the thought of him having done something stupid clouding her mind, her need to get back to him all the more urgent. Her toes are sinking into the sand as she sets off in what she hopes is the right direction.

It's almost dark when Nikki finally stumbles towards the compound, the lights are twinkling against the dark sky like many little glowing beacons guiding her back to Jack, back to her family. She can hear the celebrations and there are rich smells of food drifting towards her on the dusty breezes that are blowing her tangled hair behind her. Tables are set out in clusters with reunited families sat around them, the workers from the greenhouses at most of them, Luisa, the person she had originally come out here to say a final goodbye too, sat with her head against Gustavo's shoulder, his arm slung loosely around her holding her close at another.

It takes a moment for anyone to notice her, an unsteady shadow staggering out of the twilight. The walk had been longer than she'd expected, her exhausted body struggling to keep going. When they do spot her though, the guards are around her in seconds, pointing rifles at her in the semi darkness, not quite sure who she is. She sees Gustavo and Luisa get up and run over from where they were sat. Gustavo reaches his soldiers first, a torch in his hand, flashing the beam in her face and shouting orders in Spanish that she can't understand but the guns are lowered and the guards back off so she gets the gist of what's going on. After a few more halting steps forward Gustavo has his hands on her shoulders, steadying her trembling body and helping keep her on her feet. Luisa is there next, ducking under her lovers' arms and wrapping her into a hug that Nikki can't help but fall into. The chatter has quietened down now and everyone is watching her but the only thing on her mind is him. "Jack?" she somehow manages to say, her voice no more than hoarse whisper, her throat sore after the screaming and salt water. Luisa looks up to Gustavo and he nods letting go of her shoulders before sprinting off towards the chapel. Luisa is saying something in Spanish to the guards and suddenly her arms are being held over others shoulders and hands are holding her sides as they help her towards one of the building where there are lights and chairs and, she hopes, beds.

There are only a few candles burning in the chapel and there's no one in here to see him as he cries, as he pounds the floor with his fists. Across the room he can see her picture, her face split in a smile as she laughed at something, her eyes sparkling with joy and in his head he screams because he will never see her like that again. Never see that smile when she laughs at his antics and in his mind he blames himself. He knows Nikki. He should have known that she would have put the life of others before her own. He should have seen it but he'd been so damn desperate to find her, to save her so she could save him from himself. He'd printed that picture himself. It had so much more for her spirit in it than the one he'd crumpled up earlier, earlier when he still could save her before he'd let her down, let her die. The candle he'd lit in front of her photo was sputtering, the wax burnt away. He couldn't let that happen, he'd never let her light go out, even if it meant staying in here for the rest of his life. Standing on shaky legs he was about to go and find another one when Gustavo flew through the doors, his gaze flicking across the room before landing on Jack where he stood in the corner. Jack only had to look at his face to see what he was going to tell him, too see the relief and the happiness that was in his eyes. "Where?" he yelled at Gustavo, barely waiting for him to reply before he set off to find her.

Her head was leaned back against the wall when he arrived, her eyes closed and a water bottle held loosely between her hands. Luisa was sat by her side but when she saw him she gave him smile before getting up and heading back outside. The sound of her feet stirred Nikki from whatever place her mind had been and slowly her head rolled to side, her ears tracking Luisas' steps as she walked across the room, only opening her eyes when she couldn't hear them anymore. When she sees him, she tries to stand only for her legs to give out under her in exhaustion. Jack is by her side in seconds, grabbing the water bottle in one hand and catching Nikki with other, his arm wrapping around her waist.

"Easy, easy, I got you," he can't help but say as she falls against him her arms wrapping loosely around his back, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Dropping the water bottle onto the table next her he can't help but pull her close, both his arms clutching at her shirt, his nose pressed into her hair. He can smell the ocean on her, almost taste the salt where her hair brushes his lips. She's shaking in his arms and it takes a moment to realise she's crying and another moment to realise the wetness on his cheeks isn't from her damp hair but from his own eyes. It takes a few minutes for him to pull himself together, after everything she's been through she shouldn't see him crying. She isn't his to lose after all. By the time his eyes have dried all her weight is against him, his arms holding her up and in his ears he can hear her faint whispers but they're too quiet for him to make out. Knowing she needs sleep more than anything else he makes the split decision to take her to the room she's been staying in, but when he tries to get her to walk he finds her feet uncooperative and in the end scoops her up into his arms, carrying her as he would a bride over the threshold.

He takes the steps two at a time as he climbs the stairs, cradling Nikki close to his chest. She's asleep by the time he lays her on her bed and he hasn't the heart to wake her or even put the lights on. She's safe and now all he wants is to protect her from whatever happened so after pulling a blanket over her he pulls out a chair and sits down leaning his head on his hands against the bed by her side, promising that he'll be there for her when she wakes up.

It's still dark when he wakes up and it takes him a moment to orientate himself, wondering what had pulled him from sleep. By his side Nikki is mumbling in her sleep her hand thrashing by her sides, her head rolling on the thin pillow, her legs tangling in the blanket as her sleep is haunted by things that only exist in the nightmare she's trapped in. He's about to shake her, his fingers just wrapping around her shoulders when she bolts up, abruptly ripped from sleep. Her breathing is fast and harsh, her chest heaving with every gasp and in her mind it feels like the dark is closing around her, trapping her back in that box, back in her nightmare. When Jack's hand touches her she jumps again only settling when she hears his voice close by. Seconds later the lamp flickers to life and he's illuminated, sat by her side, her hand wrapped in his, his eyes dark with worry.

"Hey, you're safe now," his voice rumbles as he pulls her into a gentle hug holding her for a second before pulling back and looking at her properly for the first time since he saw her sat in that chair. Her hair is a tangled mess, full of sand and earth and for the first time he sees the cut running along her cheek bone, red and inflamed. Gently, so gently he runs his thumb over the cut causing her to gasp, her hand coming up to catch his wrist causing him to look down. Her nails are caked with grime and when she catches him looking at them she blushes, quickly apologising for the mess she's in.

"You don't need to apologise," he chastises her, "you have nothing to apologise for. Do you hear me," he adds more firmly, suddenly realising that was what she had been whispering all those hours ago.

"But I am sorry Jack. I mislead you. I could hear it in your voice how much I'd hurt you." Her eyes are brimming with tears as she watches him, the first ones falling from her chocolate eyes, leaving streaks in the dirt on her cheeks.

"Nikki," he sighs, wondering how she can be so daft, "I was frustrated yes, but not at you. I didn't find you. I failed and I thought you'd died. Nikki, I don't want to lose you and I thought I had. It wasn't hurt you heard in my voice, it was heartbreak," he finished in a whisper and for a moment she didn't move and he began to worry he'd said too much. When her arms wrapped around him though he let a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, quickly hugging back.

"I don't want to lose you either," she chokes out.

Jack's surprised by her confession but shakes it off, his worry over her more important. "How about we get you cleaned up a bit and I'll take a look at that cut on your face?" Waiting until she's nodded before he lets go of her hand he heads over to the little sink in the corner. He comes back with a bowl full of water and a cloth but after just a few swipes he can tell that it's not going to be enough and so can she, leaving the only option as a shower, which are outside. Jack doesn't like the idea of her moving, let alone standing and walking. Nikki still looks thoroughly exhausted to him and he'd rather she didn't have to leave her room but in her eyes he can she her determination, a determination that brings a smile to his face because it's the Nikki he knows and loves and there's nothing he can do to stop her.

She's already trying to untangle the blanket from around her legs by the time he's stopped admiring her will power and it shakes him into action. Putting his hands over hers he stops her and carefully pulls the blankets away, holding onto her ankle when it gets stuck to tug it free, marvelling at how thin her legs actually are, in his head questioning how the hell they hold her up. Her feet are covered in dirt too and it's only then that he notices she's no shoes. The questioning look he gives her makes her blush at the mess she's in, suddenly very self-conscious before shrugging at the lack of foot-ware, just as confused as he is at where they went. When he lets go of her ankle Nikki can still feel where his hand had been, the space his fingers held freezing and burning in their absence. She watched him as he dragged her bag out from under the bed, rifling through it for who knows what eventually stopping and throwing the strap over his shoulder before reaching out and offering his hands to her with a soft smile.

Standing hurt more than she expected, walking even more so. Pain was throbbing through her beaten feet but the prospect of a shower was far more appealing than anything she was feeling. She can see Jack sat on the ground with his back to her to give her privacy, his shoulders hunched, his figure shaking a little in the dark while she showers. The spray is cold and again she's relived for the coolness, it numbs her aches a little. The water around her feet is grey, tinged with blood and bubbles from where the water has opened up the little scrapes she's acquired in the past day. The soap is stinging where it runs into the cut on her cheek and when she begins to rub the grime of her feet she can't help the hiss of pain that comes when the water opens up the slices she didn't even know she had. When, finally, she feels clean she turns of the water and dries off, wincing when her torn nails and cut hands catch in her hair and clothes as she tries to get dressed. Jack's still sat with her back to her and now without the sound of the running water she can hear the small breathy sobs he's letting out and her heart breaks. She did that to him.

He never even heard the water stop let alone heard her approach but suddenly she's sat by his side, her head resting on his shoulder as he tries to stop the heaving sobs in his chest. Her hand is on his back, rubbing soothing circles against the stretched fabric of his shirt and again she apologising, apologising for tricking him. It makes him laugh, a sharp, abrupt noise that rips from his throat and silences her. Her head lifts from his shoulder and from the corner of his eye he can see confused look she's giving him, "What's so funny?" Her voice is indignant and it makes him laugh again.

"You, your apologising again. It's me that should be apologising."

"Jack," she's confused, he can hear it.

"Did you put yourself in that box? No. Did you do the impossible and save everyone else? Yes. Did you make a promise and then let them down? No." He stops for a breath and suddenly she thinks she has an idea where this is going. "You did everything from inside a god damn box underground and I couldn't do anything. In the end I let you down. I always let you down, I promised I'd stop fighting and I don't. I promised I'd bring you home and I didn't. I promised I'd save you and I didn't."

"Oh Jack," she whispers as she puts her arms around him, her cheek resting against his shoulder, "you did save me though. Your voice kept me sane in there, kept me from screaming and screaming until I went mad, stopped me giving up. And as for saving those people that wasn't me, that was you, you and Leo," she says with a smile in her voice, Leo's face still floating in her mind. That makes him look at her with a worried look.

"Leo? Nikki, Leo died," he says hesitantly, suddenly worried that she did go mad in that box, maybe hit her head on the top and knocked out what few of her marbles were left.

"I know Leo died."

"But you just said-"

"I remembered a case we worked on, years ago. It took him ages but he identified the toxin back then and it made me realise we were dealing with the same toxin now. Anyway you were the one who found those people, the one who rescued them."

"I couldn't have done it without you though," his voice is calmer now, closer to the Jack she knows and loves.

"Nor could I," she adds with a smile.

"Joint effort then," he whispers when he feels her smile against his shoulder, smiling himself when she chuckles, he small frame shaking with the movement. "Come on you, let's get that face of yours patched up. Can't have that leaving a scar now, can we." Standing up he pulls Nikki up with him keeping a tight hold on her, not willing to let her go or even leave his sight. She's leaning heavily on him again and when he looks down he groans. "Nikki, socks don't work in substitute of shoes."

"I've lost my shoes. Only brought one pair with me." He laughs at that; Nikki may be the smartest person he knows but sometimes she can down right daft. He helps her limp back inside and up the stairs before finally letting go watching as she hobbles over to the bed before going back down and grabbing some of the supplies he brought with him from England. She's put the lights on when he gets back, the old fluorescent bulbs casting a pale glow on everything. It highlights how pale she is, the light tan she developed washed from her skin replaced in some parts with sunburn from the exposure. His eyes are drawn to the damp footprint on the floor before he glances at dark patches on the soles of her socks.

"Your feet are bleeding!" he almost yells rushing over.

"I know, I know," she says calmly and he almost screams. How can she be so bloody calm? It takes him only minutes to peel her socks off and assess the damage before digging into the kit he brought up. The cuts aren't deep but there are a lot of them and he again he can't help but marvel at her strength. To have walked all this way with her feet getting cut up and bleeding. She truly is incredible to him. Beside him she's rooting through the box herself and when he looks she digging at the palms of her hands with a pair of tweezers, face crumpled with pain and frustration, her fingers shaking slightly as pokes at them. He lets her for a few minutes while he spreads antibiotic cream on her feet and pulls the cuts closed with tape and steri-strips. When he's finished he takes the tweezers from her hands, snorting at the little noise of protest she makes before bending her wrists towards her and looking her hands. There are more splinters in her hands than he's ever seen in his life it takes him a while to pull them all out trying to be gentle as he opens the little nicks on palms up, wincing in sympathy every time she hisses in pain.

By the time he's done she's almost asleep again, her head rolling on her shoulders as she fights to keep her eyes open. "Sleep Nikki. You're exhausted." She nods at him only half aware of the world around her as she settles down, her head on the pillow. All at once the nightmare she had before rushes back and she can't bear the thought of sleep, her hand flying out to catch Jack's wrist even though he hadn't moved. When his eyes meet hers he can see the fear in them and he does the one and only thing he can think of, climbing on the bed behind her, her back to his chest, his arm around her waist, her fingers still holding his wrist. "I'm right here. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to you." He can feel her hair brush against his face when she nods and instinctively he pushes his nose into her hair, breathing in the smell that is just Nikki. Against him, Jack can feel her press her back closer to him, snuggling in to him as much as she can, her small hand gripping his arm. It takes time but eventually he slips into sleep, the warm, comforting weight of Nikki pressed against him.

Thomas' touchdown in Mexico was all a bit of a blur, his mind focused on getting to the place Jack had given him. The scrap of paper he'd written it down on was worn and crumpled from the amount of times he'd opened it, read it and screwed it back up again on the journey here. When Jack had last phoned him the despair in his voice had been painful. One look at Clarissa was all it took to get him to pack a bag and fly out. They both new he'd never come home without her, that he'd tear himself and the county apart looking for her body. The cab dropped him about a hundred yards from the gates of the compound and it after a quick jog over and flashing his home office ID the guards looked at him with a little recognition, clearly they knew Nikki and Jack. "I'm looking for Jack," he said and one of the guards pointed to a building in the distance before turning his back on him, looking out towards the horizon again. When he reached the building he asks again, surprised when Luisa jogs over to him. Jack had mentioned he'd found her and makes the loss of Nikki all the more painful. She was the one they were supposed to find.

"I'll take you to them," she says and the phrase doesn't go unnoticed, although he puts it down to her English slipping since she's been home so long. He follows her along what to him seems like a maze of corridors and stairs eventually stopping when they reach a door. She gives him a smile before disappearing down the hall. The door is unlocked when he tries the handle, the hinges opening without so much as a squeak. He's faced with what is clearly Nikki's former room, her bag lies abandoned on the floor, some her clothes strewn about the room but on the bed is Jack, his back facing Thomas. The analytical part of his mind knows they'll have to pack it all up and take it home with, give it to her next of kin, but the human side can't help but notice what a mess it is. He'd always assumed Nikki was a tidy person. Either way it hurts to think about. He takes a moment before stepping into the room, mentally trying to work out what he's going to say to the younger scientist, how he's going to console him. When Thomas reaches the foot of the bed he almost yells in joy. Seeing Nikki bundled against Jacks' chest almost gives him a heart attack from both relief and shock. She's pale, too pale, but her chest is rising and falling with each breath she takes proving she's alive. Right now the how doesn't matter, she's alive and safe and that's all that matters to him. The Lyell won't have to try and patch the gaping hole she almost made. The team will hold itself together.

Even in his sleep Jack can feel someone watching him and when he opens his eyes he spots Thomas stood against the window facing him, a small smile playing on his face. Beside him Nikki is still asleep, she's rolled over at some point during the night and she's now facing. Her blonde hair has curled and is falling about her face in messy curtain, her head tucked against his chest. Carefully extracting himself from her he stands and heads towards the door, knowing Thomas will follow him.

"You could have let us know you found her," he hisses, sounding both pleased and annoyed at the same time.

"I didn't find her. She found me. Just wandered in here last night."

"Still, Clarissa has been calling me every five minutes for the past few hours to see if I'd reached you yet. She's been going mad."

"Yeah I should call her," he says, fishing around in his pockets for his phone, finally giving in when he can't find it and borrowing Thomas'. She answers on the third ring.

"How is he?" The urgency and worry in her voice makes Jack wince and evidently Thomas can hear it from where he's standing as he points towards Nikki and heads over, sitting in the chair next to the bed.

"Nice to talk to you too," Jack says, his usual teasing tone creeping through when he hears her voice.

"Jack! Are you okay?"

"Better than you might think. Nikki," he pauses, how does he tell her? "She's safe," he states, smiling when he looks over to where she's sleeping, watching as Thomas carefully examines the cuts on her hands he wrapped last night.

"Oh Jack," her voice is quiet and sad, "I'm so sorry."

"What, no Clarissa. She's safe, she's alright. She's asleep," he keeps his voice calm and quiet, desperately trying not wake her. A quietness Clarissa mistakes as denial.

"Jack," there's a sternness there now, "she's gone Jack. You did everything." His frustration is beginning to get the better of him and he quickly flips the call to video chat, waiting a moment for Clarissa's face to appear on the screen. Jack can see the exhaustion there, the bags under her eyes and the worry in the set of her Jaw.

"Clarissa. Nikki's alive," he says slowly and he can see the spark of hope bloom on her face, the doubt still lurking in her eyes. Turning the camera towards where Thomas is sat he shows her and it takes a moment for it to sink in.

"She's really alive," she says in wonder as he turns the phone back to himself. Her smile makes his day. In the back ground he can hear the phone ring and waits a few minutes for her to answer before she comes back to him. "Can you send Thomas home. We've got a triple murder and the other lab's closed down. That was the home office ordering him back." From where he's sat Thomas nods briefly before turning back to Nikki.

"He's got the message."

"Good, and Jack. Bring her home."

"I promise. She's not leaving my sight." He means it too. She's never leaving his sight again.

 **This is my first Silent Witness fic. Please can you review and give me pointers. Fixed a few little errors that I'd noticed, also thinking about doing another chapter or two. Bear with me on that.**


	2. Chapter 2

Thomas insists on checking over every single one of her injuries when she wakes up an hour later. The cuts on her hands and feet are inflamed and Jack can't help but hiss at the sight of them. They're worse than they were last night and it makes him angry that he couldn't fix them up better. From where he's stood at the window he can still see how she looked last night, exhausted and filthy and half dead. Her eyes still hold the same exhaustion but now they're glassy, glazed over with the fever that's building in her veins and her face is ashen instead of dirt covered. Her head's resting against the back wall as she and Thomas talk. She'll be asleep again soon, they both know it but Thomas is still amazed she's actually alive and more than anything they want to know how she survived but neither wants to press her.

Another hour and Nikki's asleep again, her eyes closed and her breathing deep and slow. Jack still won't leave her alone, so he's sat quietly against the window while Thomas is packing up the few things he brought with him, his flying visit to Mexico almost over. He's already told Jack Nikki's in no condition to be moving, let alone flying. Really, in his mind, she should be in a hospital bed hooked up to fluids and IV antibiotics but he knows that will never happen. Nikki's too damn stubborn for that. Too damn stubborn for her own good most of the time, this incident proving that more than anything. Nodding at Jack and gently placing a kiss on Nikki's forehead Thomas leaves, heading for the long flight home and the triple homicide waiting for him, safe in the knowledge the both Nikki and Jack are safe and for the most part, well.

His stomach's growling at him, has been for the past hour but he still doesn't want to leave her, scared she'll disappear on him, knowing that's his mind playing cruel tricks on him. He's about to move when his stomach growls again and Nikki's voice cuts the silence, "will you please eat something."

"When did you wake up?"

"Long enough ago to know you're starving." He snorts at that, can't help himself really. She's still more worried about him than herself.

"Come on then," he says standing up, "let's go find something to eat."

She looks startled by that, choking out an indignant "I'm not really that hungry," as he crosses the room to her.

"I don't care. Thomas said you needed to get your strength back before we can even consider flying home. Besides you're in no position to argue," he finishes with a grin.

"Jack, please," she whines, sounding to him like a little child and it just makes him smile all the more. "I just want to sleep."

"You can sleep after you've eaten. Come on." Jack helps her to stand, frowning when her balance isn't one hundred percent and she groans in pain as her feet throb. Her arm is over his shoulder as they head downstairs, most of her weight braced against him. The sun almost blinds them when they step outside, both of them used to the semi-darkness of Nikki's room. Luisa is sat with Ernesto, there are tears in his eyes but the set of his jaw says he's angry, and Nikki has the vague idea it's about his mother but she's not sure, everything in her mind as a hint of haze to it. They sit down at one of the tables from last night, just to get used to the brightness and the heat. Her head is on his shoulder again, she quite likes how it feels, having him so close. For a moment he presses his cheek against the crown of her head before telling her to shift as he stands up and goes to what they've nicknamed the 'community room.'

"Hey." When Nikki turns around she sees Luisa stood behind her.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Nikki can't help but ask. She was supposed to be attending her funeral today, instead she's facing her, alive and well.

"I am very well, thanks to you and Jack."

"Jack mostly," Nikki says with a smile, watching as he walks back over to her.

"Not me, she told me where to look, she did all the hard brain work," Jack chimes in sitting himself down, pushing a plate of food over to her. It's nothing special, just fruit and sandwich but she can't help but laugh when Jack attacks his food like he's not eaten in a week. Beside her she can hear Luisa laughing too. "Eat," Jack comments when Nikki hasn't started on her food. It takes more energy than it should to eat, the normally sweet fruit tasting thick and gluey in her mouth. Both Jack and Luisa are eyeing her with concern after a while, she's barely managed to eat anything but her stomach is rejecting the idea of anything more. Part of her is contemplating put her head down on the table and taking a nap when Luisa puts her hand against her forehead.

"You're not well," she says causing Nikki to look at her, her face pulled in an expression of offence.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"You are more than tired Nikki. You have a temperature and you look like you're about to be sick," turning to Jack she went on, "we need to get her examined. There is a clinic room just over there. We may have some antibiotics that could help her." Something inside Jack's chest released at that. Thomas had already said she was dehydrated and he thought that she might have an infection, his concerns had morphed into fear in Jack as he'd watched her get paler. Nodding his thanks to Luisa, he got up and went to pull Nikki to her feet smiling at the small sound of protest she makes as he tugged her up.

"I'm fine," she argues again, "don't waste the meds on me. You need them more. Ava said it's hard to get supplies out here."

"Nikki," Luisa said with a smile in her voice, "after everything the two of you have done for us the least we can do is look after you."

"Listen to her Nikki, stop being so stubborn." She gives in when she heard the exasperation in Jack's voice, she knows it his way of covering any fear he might be feeling and after all, she's put him through enough. A few minutes later she's sat on exam table, her feet hanging over the edge and her head on the pillow. Across the room Jack and Luisa are talking in hushed voices as they rifle through the cupboards. They're both worried, she can see it in the set of their faces but every time Jack looks at her he smiled and it puts her at ease, the tenderness in that smile. She closes her eyes just for a few minutes, not realising she's drifted off until there was a sharp scratch in the crook of her elbow.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Looking after you. Now go back to sleep."

"Jack," Nikki whines, "I don't want a drip," she says as her eyes follow the needle and tube up to the bag hanging a little above her head.

"I know you don't, but you need it." His hands wrap around hers and again she can see the worry in his eyes, even hear it leaking into his voice a bit and she gives in. Honestly she doesn't have the energy not too. Luisa is stood by her head and Nikki watches as she injects something into the IV line, smiling when she catching Nikki watching.

"Go to sleep Nikki," she said before she turns and leaves. Jack is still with her, gently lifting her legs onto the bed and tucking a blanket around her and under feet.

"How're you feeling?" Jack asks, adding "really?" when he sees the lie bubbling on her lips.

"I've felt better," she says eventually. Seeing Jack's raised eyebrow she elaborates, "my head feels fuzzy and I ache but honestly Jack, I'm going to be fine."

"I know you will, so long as you rest." For a few minutes they're both quiet, Jack watching as Nikki's eyes slip closed. Part of him still wondered if this is all a dream, his mind still not accepting the fact that she's alive, part of him still believes she should be dead yet, here she is, safe and alive. She'd been quiet so long Jack figured she'd dozed off again so when her voice split the silence he jumps just a little.

"I want to go home," her voice is quiet, heavy with sleep and whatever it was Luisa has given her. More than anything though she sounds sad to him.

"Me too."

"Then why are we still here?" Now he knows she isn't well.

"Nikki," he sighs, "you can't fly anywhere like this. They wouldn't let you on the plane. Heck you wouldn't be able to stand to get on the plane," he adds with a grin, laughing at the disgruntled look on her face. "Sooner you get better the sooner we can go home, so sleep."

"Fine." Jack watches as she closes her eyes relaxing a little, tensing a little when she snaps them open again. "You'll stay won't you? You won't leave me?" The vulnerability in her voice makes his eyes well up.

"I promise." His chest clenches when he sees the fear in her eyes both of them remembering last night as she thrashed from the nightmare. Quickly standing he moves round the bed, settling himself behind her like he did before, smiling when he feels her relax against him. He can't help the smile at the amount of trust she puts in him. When his arms wrap around her she can't help but feel safe, her mind clouding over, revelling in his warmth, the steady feel of his heartbeat against her back and the soft, musky smell that always reminds her of him.

Hours later Jack's on his back with Nikki using his chest as a pillow, his finger tracing through the tangled blonde strands that have fallen over her face as she's slept uneasily. More than once he's had to calm her down as a nightmare has tried to take a grip on her mind, the soft mumbles and cries enough to break his heart. Her skin is burning under his fingers and the cut on her face is bright red, a stark contrast against how pale she is. Opposite him the sun is beginning to set again, orange light shining through the windows turning Nikki's light hair gold. Another day has passed and in Jack's head it's the best day he's seen in a long while. Nikki is alive when she shouldn't be, she's safe and in his arms and right now he's content with his lot. The only thing he wants is to be home, back in England, but for now he's happy.

For a couple of days all Nikki does is sleep, barely coming too for more than a few minutes at a time as her body tries to fight the infection. The cuts on her hands and feet begin to scab over and eventually her temperature drops, much to Jack's relief. He'd started going out of his head with worry. Thomas had suggested that he took her to a hospital, even Clarissa saying that it might be what she needs but Jack knew that that could cause more problems than it would solve. It'd put them away from the protection of the compound and Gustavo's men, give the Cartels a chance to get at Nikki, take revenge for whatever slight they might blame her for. At least here Luisa can look after her and he can sit with every hour of the day. He'd promised after all. He would be here when she woke up.

Nikki's mind had been through hell while she'd slept, slipping from nightmare to nightmare. Events that she hadn't thought of in years being dredged up and blended with recent events to make her own special kind of torture. This hadn't been the first time she'd been attacked, hadn't been the first time she'd almost died, but the stress she'd gone through blended with a fever, it tends to do strange things to the mind, mixes everything up and makes it into one gigantic mess in your mind and makes you live through it. So, when finally, she opened her eyes and saw the pale light creeping across the room, saw the stars through the window opposite and saw Jack asleep sat in a chair next to her she felt relived. His hair was a mess and it looked like he hadn't shaved in days but his face was peaceful, calm. Someone, Luisa, she suspects has changed her clothes, dressed her in soft cotton shorts and top. The air was stuffy around her and all she wanted was to see the sky, too shed the last of her nightmare, too know she wasn't trapped.

When she sat up her muscles hurt, they'd been still too long and she couldn't help but wonder how long she'd been out. Nikki knew she'd been coming down with something although she'd had no idea how bad it would be; thought she would be able to shake it off. Following the IV line along her arm she could see the redness where the tape had been stuck, peeled off and stuck somewhere else. The line was still there and the bag above her head almost empty. Carefully she peeled away the tape and slid the needle out of her arm, frowning when blood beaded at the spot she'd pulled the needle from. The stone ground was cold against her feet when she slid off the bed but she was pleased to find that her legs felt strong under her. Last time she'd tried to stand they'd felt like rubber. Jack hadn't moved in all the time she'd been getting up and Nikki didn't want to wake him, he'd done so much for her these past few days she sensed. Gently she kissed him on the cheek before padding over to the door and sitting on the stone step.

When Jack opens his eyes and see's the bed in front of him empty he nearly has a panic attack. Jumping to his feet and looking around, seeing the IV needle on the sheets, a tiny splash of blood against the tip of the needle before dashing over to the bathroom and checking inside, his chest tightening when he finds it empty. He was about to run and find Gustavo when he saw her through the door, sat with her legs tucked against her chest, her arms wrapped around them, her chin resting on the tops of her knees. In the past day he'd seen the colour come back to her cheeks, felt as her temperature dropped. Luisa had even stopped the antibiotics. That was probably the only reason he'd finally fallen asleep, knowing she was on the mend.

The air was cool on Jack's face when he steps outside. Sitting himself down beside her he's surprised when she immediately settles herself against him, tucking her head under his chin. His arm settles around her shoulder on instinct, his mind enjoying the way she fits against him, his hand wraps around her shoulder and he can feel how cool her skin is now.

"How long have you been out here?"

"I'm not sure, a while though." Her head rolls against his shoulder and he can see her face, her eyes are bright and alert and her lips are parted in a smile.

"You should be in bed."

"I'm fine." Jack can't help but laugh at that.

"That's what you said before." He watches as she turns her head away from him, her cheeks turning red as she blushes.

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine," he whispers, gently taking her face in his hand when she doesn't move, making her look at him, "really, I wouldn't expect anything else." Suddenly he realises how close her face is to his, her brown eyes are wide and he can see the realisation in them. He's not sure who moves first but a second later his lips are on hers, or her lips are on his, either way all his senses are suddenly flooded by her, how soft her lips are, how her fingers are wrapped around the back of his neck, how soft her hair is between his fingers. Its short but sweet and neither know where it came from or what it means but they feel it holds the promise of something more.

"How about we fly home tomorrow," he says after a beat, "before Thomas and Clarissa come here to check on you. They've been ringing every few hours to see how you are, I haven't had anything to tell them."

"How long was I asleep?" Judging by how much her muscles had ached, it had been a while.

"Two days, three nights." Her head jumps off his shoulder when he tells her that, surprise in her eyes.

"Three nights? What time is it?"

"About seven in the morning. The sun's about to come up," he says echoing one of their last conversations before everything went to shit and against his shoulder he can feel her smile again.

"Yeah, it does that, every day."

"How about we watch it this time and then try and book some flights."

"Sounds like a good idea." Together they sit and watch as the darkness turns pink, then orange, watch as the sun blazes its way above the horizon and the stars begin to blink out one by one until finally the sky is a crisp, cloudless blue. Around them people are beginning to move about, the compound coming alive around them.

The flight home seems to pass in heartbeat, mostly because they both slept through the entire journey until they touched down at Heathrow. Thomas and Clarissa are waiting for them at baggage claim, already with their bags off the carousel. Nikki grins at the site of both of them. She hardly remembers the conversation with Thomas and hasn't seen Clarissa since this whole mess began. There are hugs all round and Clarissa almost mows half a dozen people down as she cuts through the foot traffic to get them out of the airport. The cold air hits Nikki and Jack at the same time and they shiver, Mexico is a hell of a lot warmer than London. Instantly Jack's arm goes around Nikki as she presses herself against his side both of them seeking the heat from each other. Thomas' briefly looks them over before turning away with a slight smile on his face while Clarissa blatantly watches them, a shit eating grin plaster across her face.

 **I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I have no defence or excuses as to why this is so, so late. So, all I can say is I'm sorry and if you have read part two of this after all this time thank you, and thank you for that message a couple of months ago that sort of kicked me into action. Again I'm sorry and thank you for reading.**


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